'Sad and lonely' suspect told reporters that he expected to be arrested

In a lengthy and emotional interview published 24 hours before his arrest yesterday, the man suspected of the murders of five women in Ipswich said he was "the closest thing" to a boyfriend Tania Nicol had and was close to Gemma Adams - the first women to be killed.

Tom Stephens told a reporter from the Sunday Mirror that he was bound to be arrested because he fitted the killer's profile, had no alibis and lived close to where the bodies of two of the dead women, Annette Nicholls and Paula Clennell, were found. But he insisted: "I know I'm innocent and I'm completely confident it won't go as far as me being charged."

Mr Stephens, who described himself as being "sad and lonely", gave two media interviews in which he spoke at length about his relationship with the women. He said he had turned to prostitutes 18 months ago after his eight-year marriage collapsed and that he was involved with about 50 women who were working the streets in Ipswich.

He said he had been questioned by police without being cautioned in the first week in November, before the body of Ms Nicol was found, and questioned under caution since. He reportedly broke down in tears several times as he spoke of Ms Nicol. At one point, he said he came from a "good household" and had compromised his morals to visit the red light district.

Mr Stephens, who works for Tesco in Martlesham, told the newspaper that the killer had picked the five "prettiest" women, "Gemma and Tania, the ones I was closest to, are the best-looking girls who do this in Ipswich. In fact, they were probably the top five. Over time I have been involved with most of the girls. If you count, there are about 50 over the last year.

"I was close to others as well. But I should have been there to watch over them.

"If Tania hadn't been the first, I would be out there in the street watching over her now. I could have been there for the others. If I was out there tonight, I could watch over a girl but I would tell her that I can't keep her safe."

He admitted that he fitted the killer's profile and predicted his imminent arrest. "I could get arrested," Mr Stephens told the newspaper. "That is quite likely, let's not say likely, let's say possible."

Asked why he thought he could be arrested, he replied: "I would have complete opportunity, the girls would have trusted me so much. If I had blindfolded them and taken them to the edge of a cliff and said take two steps but take three and you'll go over - they would have taken the two steps.

"From the police profiling it does look like me: white male between 25 and 40, know the area, works strange hours. The bodies have got close to my house."

He insisted he was innocent, adding: "But I don't have alibis for some of the times - actually I'm not entirely sure I have tight alibis for any of the times."

He continued: "Don't think I'm pointing out my guilt, because this is almost the worst example to give but in the case of the Yorkshire Ripper he was arrested, released and later charged. But in his case he was obviously guilty, but at that point they thought he was innocent."

He claimed he had been questioned four times by police, including once on November 22. When the reporter told him that was before the bodies had been found, he said: "I don't remember when the bodies were discovered."

He described Ms Nicol as a "lovely, sweet girl" and said: "We weren't boyfriend and girlfriend, but I was the closest thing she had to a boyfriend and in behaviour she was the closest thing I had to a girlfriend. I didn't love her. But I should have been there for her."

When asked why an "intelligent, good-looking" man would want to spend time with drug-addicted prostitutes, he replied: "On paper I should be attractive but there is something about me women do not like."

Later, he said: "I am from a good household. I have only told my mother today. I've been a terrible son, she is very ill. I was supposed to be looking after her on Monday, but I don't know whether I'm up to it now."

In a separate, half-hour interview with BBC Radio last week, Mr Stephens said that he did not know Anneli Alderton, another of the victims, and "have only spoken to her since Tania and Gemma went missing, just to say if you know anything, talk to the police or if you don't talk to the police, talk to me".

Mr Stephens told the BBC he paid for sex, and added: "But I know that I also wanted to chat to the girl, before and after, which is partly why I was always happy to give them a lift. They quite often want a lift to go and get their drugs."